OBJECTIVEEvidence suggests that insulin-sensitive glucose transporters (GLUTs) other than GLUT4 may exist. To investigate whether GLUT12 may represent another insulin-sensitive GLUT, transgenic (TG) mice that overexpress GLUT12 were characterized.RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODSTG mice that overexpressed GLUT12 under a β-actin promoter were generated. Glucose metabolism in TG and wild-type control mice was compared using glucose and insulin tolerance tests and hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamps. In addition, basal and insulin-stimulated glucose clearance rates into insulin-sensitive peripheral tissues were measured using [3H]-2-deoxy-d-glucose.RESULTSGLUT12 was overexpressed by 40–75% in TG compared with wild-type mice in insulin-sensitive tissues with no change in GLUT4 content. Body weight and fasting blood glucose did not differ between wild-type and TG mice; however, insulin concentrations were reduced in TG mice. Enhanced oral glucose tolerance was noted in TG mice by a reduced blood glucose excursion compared with wild-type mice (P < 0.05). Enhanced insulin sensitivity was noted by a greater decrease in blood glucose in TG mice during insulin tolerance testing. Hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamps confirmed enhanced insulin sensitivity in GLUT12-overexpressing mice (P < 0.01). Tissues of TG mice exhibited normal basal glucose clearance rates; however, under insulin-stimulated conditions, glucose clearance was significantly increased (P < 0.01) in tissues of TG mice.CONCLUSIONSIncreased expression of GLUT12 results in improved whole-body insulin sensitivity mediated by an increased glucose clearance rate in insulin-responsive tissues under insulin-stimulated, but not basal, conditions. These findings provide evidence that GLUT12 represents a novel, second insulin-sensitive GLUT.

With half a million babies born preterm each year in the USA and about 15 million worldwide, preterm birth (PTB) remains a global health issue. Preterm birth is a primary cause of infant morbidity and mortality and can impact lives long past infancy. The fact that there are numerous, and many currently unidentified, etiologies of PTB has hindered development of tools for risk evaluation and preventative therapies. Infection is estimated to be involved in nearly 40% of PTBs of known etiology; therefore, understanding how infection-mediated inflammation alters the cervical milieu and leads to preterm tissue biomechanical changes are questions of interest. Using RNA-seq, we identified enrichment of components involved in inflammasome activation and unique proteases in the mouse cervix during lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-mediated PTB and not physiologically at term before labor. Despite transcriptional induction of inflammasome components, there was no evidence of functional activation based on assessment of mature IL1B and IL18 proteins. The increased transcription of proteases that target both elastic fibers and collagen and concentration of myeloid-derived cells capable of protease synthesis in the cervical stroma support the structural disruption of elastic fibers as a functional output of protease activity. The recent demonstration that elastic fibers contribute to the biomechanical function of the pregnant cervix suggests their protease-induced disruption in the infection model of LPS-mediated PTB and may contribute to premature loss of mechanical competency and preterm delivery. Collectively, the transcriptomics and ultrastructural data provide new insights into the distinct mechanisms of premature cervical remodeling in response to infection.

Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and hyperandrogenism have altered hormone levels and suffer from ovarian dysfunction leading to subfertility. We have attempted to generate a model of hyperandrogenism by feeding mice chow supplemented with dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), an androgen precursor that is often elevated in women with PCOS. Treated mice had polycystic ovaries, low ovulation rates, disrupted estrous cycles, and altered hormone levels. Because DHEA is an inhibitor of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, the rate-limiting enzyme in the pentose phosphate pathway, we tested the hypothesis that oocytes from DHEA-exposed mice would have metabolic disruptions. Citrate levels, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity, and lipid content in denuded oocytes from these mice were significantly lower than controls, suggesting abnormal tricarboxylic acid and pentose phosphate pathway metabolism. The lipid and citrate effects were reversible by supplementation with nicotinic acid, a precursor for reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate. These findings suggest that elevations in systemic DHEA can have a negative impact on oocyte metabolism and may contribute to poor pregnancy outcomes in women with hyperandrogenism and PCOS.

Preterm Birth (PTB) still represents a serious challenge to be overcome, considering its implications on infant mortality and lifelong health consequences. While the causes and etiologies of PTB are diverse and yet to be fully elucidated, a common pathway leading to a preterm delivery is premature cervical remodeling. Throughout pregnancy, the cervix remodels through changes of its microstructure, thus altering its mechanical properties. An appropriate timing for these transformations is critical for a healthy pregnancy and avoidance of PTB. Hence, this study aims at understanding how the mechanical function of the cervix evolves during a normal and preterm pregnancy. By performing cyclic mechanical testing on cervix samples from animal models, we assess the cervix's ability to recover from moderate and severe loading. The developed methodology links mechanical parameters to specific microstructural components. This work identifies a distinct biomechanical signature associated with inflammation mediated PTB that differs from PTB induced by hormone withdrawal and from normal term remodeling.